The Reed Gold Mine, approximately 40 miles from Charlotte, was the first documented gold mine in the United States. North Carolina led the country in gold production in the early 1800’s. This gold rush happened in 1799, 49 years before the famous one in California occurred. Not far from the Reed Gold Mine is another one with a ghost who reputedly shut it down. The mine was said to be the deepest and richest in the region, and most dangerous. During the Carolina gold rush in the early 1800’s, miserly old MacIntosh owned the mine in Cabarrus County. According to one version, his nickname was well earned. He was so stingy that he wouldn't pay adequate wages to the miners to dig for gold and wouldn’t provide sufficient safety precautions to prevent accidents. Joe McGee was one of the best miners in the area. MacIntosh kept trying to hire him. Finally, Joe asked him if he was killed in a mining accident, would he give his wife, Jennie, $1,000. Mac said he would give her $2,000. Joe went to work for him. When Joe didn't come home at his usual time on a cold rainy night, Jennie was worried. She persuaded Joe's friend Shaun, to gather a search party to look for Joe in the mine. They searched the mine, bujt didn’t find him. Jennie asked MacIntosh for her money after several weeks elapsed. He refused to pay her, saying Joe went off somewhere. Soon, on another cold and damp night, Shaun heard a loud knock on his exterior door. When he opened it, he was shocked to see a ghost who spoke in Joe’s voice. The specter told Shaun to go to the mine that night and to dig in a certain spot where timbers gave way and caused a cave-in. He asked if MacIntosh paid Jennie. When Shaun said no, the ghost cried out, saying he would haunt the mine forever. Joe's body was found where the specter said it was. Mac paid Jennie after being threatened by Joe's friends. Joe’s ghost appeared to warn miners about the atrocious conditions in the min e. The specter was sighted in the mine and in the miners’ homes. Word spread about the haunted mine and no one would work in it. The mine was shut down and abandoned. According to legend, McIntosh went insane at the thought of having a fortune, but not having a way to get to it.
The Reed Gold Mine, approximately 40 miles from Charlotte, was the first documented gold mine in the United States. North Carolina led the country in gold production in the early 1800’s. This gold rush happened in 1799, 49 years before the famous one in California occurred. Not far from the Reed Gold Mine is another one with a ghost who reputedly shut it down. The mine was said to be the deepest and richest in the region, and most dangerous. During the Carolina gold rush in the early 1800’s, miserly old MacIntosh owned the mine in Cabarrus County. According to one version, his nickname was well earned. He was so stingy that he wouldn't pay adequate wages to the miners to dig for gold and wouldn’t provide sufficient safety precautions to prevent accidents.
Joe McGee was one of the best miners in the area. MacIntosh kept trying to hire him. Finally, Joe asked him if he was killed in a mining accident, would he give his wife, Jennie, $1,000. Mac said he would give her $2,000. Joe went to work for him. When Joe didn't come home at his usual time on a cold rainy night, Jennie was worried. She persuaded Joe's friend Shaun, to gather a search party to look for Joe in the mine. They searched the mine, bujt didn’t find him. Jennie asked MacIntosh for her money after several weeks elapsed. He refused to pay her, saying Joe went off somewhere. Soon, on another cold and damp night, Shaun heard a loud knock on his exterior door. When he opened it, he was shocked to see a ghost who spoke in Joe’s voice. The specter told Shaun to go to the mine that night and to dig in a certain spot where timbers gave way and caused a cave-in. He asked if MacIntosh paid Jennie. When Shaun said no, the ghost cried out, saying he would haunt the mine forever. Joe's body was found where the specter said it was. Mac paid Jennie after being threatened by Joe's friends. Joe’s ghost appeared to warn miners about the atrocious conditions in the min e. The specter was sighted in the mine and in the miners’ homes. Word spread about the haunted mine and no one would work in it. The mine was shut down and abandoned. According to legend, McIntosh went insane at the thought of having a fortune, but not having a way to get to it.